An old China-made tanker vessel will be sunk as part of a maritime strike live fire exercise during the 39th Balikatan Exercise between the United States and Philippine forces at the West Philipiine Sea on May 8, but a top military official says that this is just ''coincidental.''

Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci said: '' There’s no issue with that. The vessel has been used in the Philippines (for a) long, long time so any attachment to China (if ever there’s any) it doesn’t matter at all.”

Adaci said the tanker BRP Lake Caliraya, which will be targeted during the drill, is an old navy tanker reserved for military exercises like Balikatan.

"This is an old tanker. We commissioned it in the Navy several years ago to support the conduct of our naval operation... So as not to incur so much expenses on repair, maintenance, and we reserve it for exercises, such as Balikatan, so we can have a target for our firing," he said.

"Just like in any sinking exercise around the world, they use old vessels as target of the exercise, and the same thing we are doing with Lake Caliraya," he added. Robina Asido/DMS